The Cartographers’ Guild is a forum created by and for map makers and aficionados, a place where every aspect of cartography can be admired, examined, learned, and discussed. Our membership consists of professional designers and artists, hobbyists, and amateurs—all are welcome to join and participate in the quest for cartographic skill and knowledge.

Although we specialize in maps of fictional realms, as commonly used in both novels and games (both tabletop and role-playing), many Guild members are also proficient in historical and contemporary maps. Likewise, we specialize in computer-assisted cartography (such as with GIMP, Adobe apps, Campaign Cartographer, Dundjinni, etc.), although many members here also have interest in maps drafted by hand.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ. You will have to register before you can post or view full size images in the forums.

Continent map for commission

OK, my big mapping commission project. I am really limited to what I can post, until the maps are complete, however, I can show you this early stage of continent development. The client desires an understated color scheme and in my digital mapping style using Xara Xtreme 4.0.

The client is limiting what I can show as WIPs and Finals, but he allowed me to show the following map at its start.

Although he of course loved my hand-drawn maps, due to the volume of maps he requires, he thought it would be more cost effective to have them created digitally, since its lots faster for me this way.

No mountains or rivers placed yet, just "Great Lakes" and "inland sea", the yellowish blob in the center is the region of "Great Plains", the brown to the northwest is "arid desert terrain", the raised areas are the wider bases where the major mountain ranges will go.

This continent is roughly the width of North America, a bit less than the north south axis in scale. The planet is about 2/3rds the size of earth. The continent is located on this planet's southern hemisphere.

The red line at the top of the map is the Equator, whereas the red line at the bottom of the map is the Antarctic Circle. Steamy and impenetrable jungle along the Equator (filled with dinosaurian creatures), and snowy tundra near the arctic circle.

Next try...

OK, the next rendition of this map. I'm trying some new techniques with the forests and slight adjustments to my mountain (more feathered edges and a fractal clouds transparency effect to the forests.)

Ravs, I will try to squeeze some more Hokusai map objects in this summer.

I'll sneak one more in!

OK, last peek on this work for now!

The client wanted me to flip the east-west axis of the continent so I did. I've added all the various cities he required, and their names. The green framed areas are independant sovereignties, while the rest of the continent is dominated by the Empire of Edara.

Progress so far...

Unfortunately this for show and not for sharing - its a private commission.

However, all the changes since that last time I posted (flip, additions, subtractions, alterations...) the cities and road system, ruins in the north, dinosaurs throughout wilderness regions.

Its giving me some ideas for my own campaign world.

This continent map is complete! Next a regional of the southwestern lake area around Rocha to Port Bane - adding smaller communities, bridges, cultivated areas, etc. I also working on the preliminary Underdark map.